House Serpens Titles
Executor Junior Executor Junior rank Executors are uncommon, as the Executors typically recruit for their membership from more experienced members or servants of the house, typically from the Fang or Auditors. Junior Executors, thusly, are typically apprentices and aids to higher rank Executors, or act as bodyguards and investigatory agents in lower priority tasks while they build their skills. Executor Executors are full ranked field agents and operatives with a high degree of autonomy in executing missions, operations, and investigations organized by higher ranking Executors. These agents are highly skilled and trained to resist psychic manipulation, torture, and chemical agents, and have been known to go to any end to accomplish their tasks while maintaining levels of secrecy required for the tasks they have been charged with. High Executor These people are in charge of maintaining informant networks, hidden facilities, coordinating agents, planning missions, recruiting specialized aid, coordinating with outside noble houses, and maintaining the level of secrecy and deniability that allows the Executors to operate. Such feats are no small task, and thus the rank of High Executor is one typically reserved for agents who have proven loyal and capable time and again over a long career, and have undergone additional training to prepare them for the burdens of managing multiple operations and teams at once. Rank Examples Jr Recruit: Paperwork Monkeys, Secret Service and Possibly Detectives Executor: Paperwork Gorilla, Intel Agents, Deep cover agents, Handles rogue Serpens High Executor: Paperwork Kong (Phil Coulson, Skinner from X-Files), James Bond/Nick Fury Organisation Each branch of the Executors has a fairly loose command chain due to the fact that they need to respond to threats instantly. Low level Executors are sorted based on their aptitudes. All receive basic field training (additional training of they are formerly Fang) which includes combat, field medicine and espionage to cover all of their duties effectively. Each branch of the Executors work within their purview. The Intus work inside of House Serpens to secure its citizens against all threats, both internal and external, whereas Foris believe in preemptive strikes, working closely with the Fang in most cases. Working parallel to these two departments is the Scriptura, responsible for the huge amount of bureaucratic paperwork that is involved with Inter-Sector Espionage. Responsibilities The Executors are tasked with defending House Serpens against threats both internal and external to the House, and as such their primary purpose is threat location and assessment. As such, the Executors specialise in espionage and intelligence techniques with a focus on target observation, rather than direct confrontation. They employ a range of surveillance techniques based on a combination of technology and close-proximity observation, with Executors establishing and maintaining surveillance networks to track a given individual, their communications, location, and interactions. Executors are often deployed individually or in small groups, working independently on their given assignments. As such, Executors are expected to seamlessly blend into a given society, allowing them to operate in close proximity to a subject for long periods of time without arousing suspicion. By working in the vicinity of their targets, Executors are able to tailor their surveillance networks to fit the particulars of their targets. There are some situations where an Executor can’t set up a surveillance network in close proximity to the target, or they can’t set up a surveillance network at all. In the former situation, the Executors are able to remotely surveil a target from a centralised centre of operations. In the latter situation, the Executor’s request the assistance of a Scryer, who is embedded deep within a social environment, directly interacting with the the target in question. In these circumstances, the Scryer is isolated from the wider House, with minimal communication. As such, the Executor’s operation becomes focused on surveillance when possible and establishing communication with the embedded Scryer. Both of these options are only done when no other is available, due to the potential risks involved for the operation itself, including a lack of contextualised information and discovery of embedded agents in the respecting options. While the Executors prefer observation opposed to confrontation, they do have some operatives focused on covertly capturing and sometimes eliminating targets determined to be threats. Targets are mainly eliminated when there is an immediate threat or the Executors are cleaning up loose ends. Captured targets are often integrated for information, and if possible turned and then planted in potential threats as an inside contact. The Executors are know to work in conjunction with other divisions within the House, to ensure that each target is successfully neutralised with the lowest possible collateral and visibility. This is primarily through passing on information to Auditors, Fangs, and Scryers when a more specialised approach is required. The Executors also serve House Serpens by providing resources and logistics to both the Executors and entire House Serpens intelligence structure. This typically involves situation briefings and background information, as well as equipment and secured locations. Executor Kšathra-Pāvan The Executor Kšathra-Pāvan are a High Executor Atlus who has been appointed by the Fates to manage and oversee the operations of all Executors on a given planet. Known more commonly as the Pāvan, the Executor Kšathra-Pāvan are the highest authority within the Executors outside of Hroa. As such, they are ultimately responsible for the day to day operations of all aspects of the Executors within their jurisdiction. While the Pāvan has the ability to affect the Executors’ operations, they typically do not interfere with routine assignments. All branches report directly to the Pāvan, and they are also responsible for deciding upon which intelligence can be acted upon immediately and which must be first sent back to the Den of Snakes. The Kšathra-Pāvan’s role is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of House Serpens on a given planet, both all its members and its interests. This requires them to keep track of all agents of House Serpens, ensure the necessary provisions are made available for all members of the House, and that any situational information is made readily available. The Pāvan is tasked with providing protection to visiting diplomats, agents, and other members of the house, be it accommodation, guards, or disguises. Executor Atlus The Executor Atlus are the administrative and support structure of the Executors, facilitating a large portion of the House’s offworld intelligence structure. The Atlus work to ensure that the necessary resources for espionage and intelligence operations are readily available for use, both by the Executors themselves and the House at large. This includes, but is not limited to, equipment, information, personnel, and safe houses. If equipment is damaged or expended, the Atlus will replace it. If a safe house is compromised, the Atlus will ensure it cannot be traced back to House Serpens, that a new safe house is established, and that all agents of the House are informed. In regards to personnel, the Executors are not assigning personnel to different operations. Rather, the Executor Atlus will put different agents in contact with one another, based of availability, required expertise, and other operational matters. As one senior Serpens once joked, the Executor Atlus “are matchmakers of murder”. Additionally, the Executor Atlus manage a large portion of the various Serpens offworld planetary intelligence networks. The Executor Atlus ask other titles for reports and information, which they sort and compile before assigning Executors to related operations. Executor Foris The Executor Foris are the offworld intelligence service of the Executors, focusing on the interception of communications, montering of persons of interest, and the gathering of information regarding external threats to House Serpens. The Executor Foris’ main role is to locate potential threats to House Serpens, determine their credibility, and then pass on any relevant information to other parts of the House to deal with possible threats. The Foris have the closest relationship with the other branches of House Serpens, due to the need for expeditious and covert elimination of threats located outside of Hroa’s jurisdiction. Additionally, the Executor Foris are occasionally assigned missions which deal with assassination, information planting, sabotage, and theft. Such missions move past the purview of the Executors, given their expertise of observation. In these instances, the Executors request assistance from other branches of House Serpens, working in tandem with specialists for the specific assignment. In rare instances, the Executors will pass on the mission in its entirety, due to moving completely out of their operational scope. Executor Intus The Executor Intus are the secret police of House Serpens, focused on protecting the House from within against the corruption of their values and institutions. They are responsible for determining which members of the House might betray or act against the interests and values of House Serpens itself. The Intus are tasked with tracking the movements of Serpens, their meetings with non-Serpens, and the development of radical elements within Serpens’ society. The Executor Intus’ operations are centred on Hroa, due to it being the capital of House Serpens. It has a large presence within Sero’ak, due to the close nature of many of the House’s core institutions and infrastructure, both physical and social. Additionally, the Executor Intus are tasked with keeping track of individuals visiting Hroa. They focus on officials from other factions; known persons of interest; and those visiting critical infrastructure on Hroa. Additionally, they are tasked with running background checks on all who visit Hroa, regardless of whether they are flagged for specialised observation. The Executor Intus have a limited presence off Hroa. Whist offworld, the Intus are tasked with upholding the interests and values of the House, and safekeeping critical at risk assets of House Serpens, both agents and infrastructure. They ensure that no member of House Serpens is used against the House, knowingly or not. History The Executor Service can trace its history back to dark ages, within the ranks of a defensive organization called the Mucalinda. The Mucalinda were made up of the Lassi, duos of noble watchmen who protected House Serpens and maintained their dominance over Hroa, and planetary security. This group existed until the arrival of the Blood Eagle, who absorbed the Mucalinda as part of their Conséc initiative. The Lassi who refused the call would go on to form the Fang, those who left would become the progenitors of the Executors. The Lassi who joined the Conséc were the backbone of the fledgling intelligence agency, and were forced to adapt to and employ unique tactics and tools the other noble houses involved in the agency brought to the table. It was here that the internal procedures and culture of the Executors would begin to form. After decades of service to the empire and its Emperox, a split of the former Serpens members of the Conséc split from the organization, returning to Hroa and reclaiming their nobility. They took what they learned in service exclusively for their house and world under a singular mandate: defend house Serpens, maintain Hroan security, acquire any information which could aid in this task. To those ends the Executors have not changed much in the past several hundred years. The Executors maintain an extensive information network made up of countless informants across Acheron Rho. Executors organize and coordinate covert operations against the enemies of House Serpens and the enemies of the Empire. According to some, the Executors have even been rumored to carry out projects that skirt the lines of what is morally, or legally acceptable, although these rumors may originate from within the Executors themselves, who often attempt to maintain a sense of danger and mystique. Fang “The Emperor is dead. We killed him. Like a rotting appendage we excised him from the body of the Empire. We, the Fangs of House Serpens did what everyone else was too paralyzed by indecision to do. The unconscionable act of allowing the creation and proliferation of the Synthetic Menace sealed his fate, and it was our House who put a stop to the madness. The other Houses, the Church, they may hate us for what we were forced to do, but have no fear; show no fear. Steel yourself and take pride in the decision our House was forced to make, brothers and sisters, so you may wear it like armor. It may not have been you, me, or any of us here, but they were our sibling, our blood. One of many Fangs, in one of many Rows in the mouth of the Serpent. Pierce the Veil my brothers and sisters. And help guide our House and all the Houses to a bright and prosperous future.” -High Fang Viktor Fauchs, Captain of the First Row in a mass briefing of the Fang after the death of the Emperor (Paraphrasing Minister Daimon Hakazuchi) The Fang is the military force of the Noble House of Serpens. Where the Executors largely deal in intelligence, the Fang prefer action. The duties of a Fang varies on their rank within the organization, but the potential for promotion is the same for nearly every agent. They are limited only by their skill and their drive. The rank-and-file of the Fang are assigned to units known as “Rows”. Each Row is comprised of twenty Fangs with a High Fang at the head. The Fang is very much a voluntary organization and conscription has only once been recorded as necessary. As such, the Fang are few, though their efficiency more than makes up for their number. From the top of the High Fangs, to the street level Recruits, the Fang is first and foremost a fraternity. A High Fang treats their Row as younger siblings or cousins, meant to be protected and looked after, and their fellow High Fangs as close brothers and sisters. Each individual Fang is expected to treat their fellows as such. Rivalries between Rows and individuals exist, but The Fang are strongest when they are together. History of The Fang The Fang is an offshoot of the Mucalinda, a small militant group formed not long after the Scream. In the Dark Ages, the nobles of House of Serpens thought to try and defend the best interests of Serpens in the wake of the psychic apocalypse, in defense of themselves and their fellows in a time of weakness. After the reign of the Blood Eagle, the heads of both the Fauchs and Murami families decided to consolidate the group of noble militia into a true offensive force. The first Rows of Fangs were formed, and the organization evolved from there. Since the beginning, there has always been a Fauchs and a Murami at the very least at the head of a Row. Structure of The Fang Due to the psychic meritocracy of Hroa, there are non-psychics among the ranks of the Fang, but they rarely make it past the Junior phase, usually gaining a position of command above other Junior Fangs. By proxy, these individuals are given a more symbolic promotion to Sergeant. New Recruits, psychic or not are put on patrol in one of the cities on Hroa as a training/probation period. If the Recruit shows promise, or achieves some great accomplishment, they are promoted to Junior Fang, and are given further responsibilities. It is not unusual for non-psychics to not make the cut past this stage. Junior Fang: The base level of official Fang status. Junior Fangs will likely spend most of their time working local crime cases. They are able to apply for off-planet work, but will often be stuck planetside for the majority of their Junior career. Fang: Referred to simply as Fangs, these are the rank-and-file soldiers of The Fang. These are the ones that are generally sent away during wartime, and the ones that are sent on certain special missions. While they are an extreme minority, some non-psychics do exist in this rank. High Fang: In the Fang, High Fangs are at the top of the combat tier. First and foremost, they are Black Ops agents and Assassins. But they are also responsible for many administrative duties among the Fang. In situations of being sent to the battlefield, they would be expected to handle command more than anything, but going to the frontlines is their prerogative. Since the Fang structure was solidified, the families Fauchs and Murami have almost consistently had a member among the High Fangs. While the Fang do not answer to the Executors, nor are they handled by them, Executors are usually the ones to pull the trigger on a Fang operation. Though it is not entirely uncommon for a Fang to defer to an Executor, in the chain of command, they stand even. Fang Equipment Upon a Junior Fang being appointed to a full-fledged Fang, they are presented with two daggers, their own pair of “fangs”. They have the Fang insignia on the hilt, are battle ready, and can be used in a fight, but they are meant to be ceremonial, and count as a badge of office when carried. That aside, weaponry is more or less decided by each individual, though standard issue is a Mag Pistol and a Stun Baton. When a Fang is promoted to High Fang, like the initial promotion, they are given both a sword and a coat to signify their station. Both have the Fang Emblem, the sword on the crossguard, and as an armband or a logo on the back of the coat. In addition to physical tools and weapons, the Fang control and Command the Stalwart Blades Drawn in Hroa's Name, or the Blades for short. The Blades are a serf militia designed to provide manpower for the Fang in both policing and military operations. The Blades are governed by a strict hierarchy, which can always be traced back to a member of the Fang. While the Blades are hardened and well equipped, they are not a professional military, and are typically deployed in small groups as body guards, rapid response and support units, rather than any front line fighting force Scryer “We Wander. We Watch.” Some Scryers chose the path, wanting the freedom, but a great many were viewed by some as problem children within the Academy. The ones who couldn’t sit still, the ones that were in another place or time constantly, the ones that were the class clowns or the ones who you forgot were even there. Those who knew better knew that these future-Scryers heard every word you said, remembered everything you ever said about them, were always in the right place at exactly the right time. When a Sophist finds and properly identifies one of these students their Scryer training begins. They learn to hone their ears, sharpen their eyes, to hold their tongues and only reveal that which is required and save that which isn’t for the right moment. Once their time in the Academy is over each Scryer must swear an oath. An oath to remember that though they may scatter to the stars they are still a scale on the back of Serpens, and scales reflect that which is shone on them and scales go where the body goes. Therefore each Scryer is required to return all visions back to the Den, while also helping the Den when they require. Once the oath is sworn the Scryer is free. Free to go where they please. Always keeping their eyes and ears open. Some simply live their lives. While others become the information brokers of Serpens dealing with all information they see, hear, and feel. Some become local fortune-tellers and medics. But they are all ever moving, following the path, shifting and grasping as the serpent glides ever forward. Outwardly Facing: Everything from Soothsayers to Wandering Merchants, Scryers are everywhere. Inwardly Facing: Eyes and ears of the Den. Information Brokers. If a Serpens needs information regarding a certain system they find a Scryer. Scryers report all visions granted by their precognitive abilities back to Hroa, where they are analyzed to give the Oracular Council a greater understanding of the future of the sector. Some Scryers are also covert information officers for the House, acting as eyes and ears throughout the sector. Scryers acting in this capacity not only report any and all information they can get their hands on back to Hroa, but are also sometimes called upon to disseminate information to locals to advance the goals of Serpens. They also occasionally act as a sort of handler for Fangs and Auditors operating in their area, providing pertinent data to help the Fang achieve whatever their mission goal is. Titles While some Scryers use the general Serpens modifiers of High or Junior, most are content simply to be known as “Scryer.” Junior Scryers frequently spend their first couple of years in Aranath, covertly testing Fangs-in-training on their ability to maintain information security. Divisions of Scryers Scryers who devote themselves to the business of information are divided by the size of the areas they cover. Ranked from most specific to general there is a Scryer for each area of the sector. City (Delphi), Planet (Jaffar), System (Cassandra), and Wandering (Cleo). Those who are trapped as a Fate are the Mimir; the ones who are chained down and kept for information for the good of the Den. These divisions are suffixes, and are attached the the name like so: * Scryer Serpens Doe John, Jaffar of Hroa. * Scryer Serpens Doe John, Delphi of Sero'ak. * Scryer Serpens Doe John, Cassandra of Tsatsos. * Scryer Serpens Doe John, Cleo of Acheron Rho. * Scryer Serpens Doe John, Mimir to the Den of Snakes. These are fluid titles as Scryers tend to move whenever they feel. Sometimes, however, when the Den has had a revelation they feel requires investigation, a Scryer is “Sent”. Being Sent is something all Scryers know and dread, because it means an end, however temporarily to their wanderings. The Scryer is ordered to go to a place and is not allowed to leave until they have uncovered whatever the Den is looking for. Being Sent is also sometimes called being “anchored” or “chained.” Seer Seer is one of the oldest titles in House Serpens, with some records tracing it back to before the Scream. It denotes the Serpens member as a member of House Serpens’ general nobility, meaning that they do not work directly under the Den or any other governmental organisations, but rather by their own merit, in collaboration with other houses, or even in service of the Emperox. Some families, especially of the older circles, use “Seeress” for female nobles of the title, but Seer is widely recognised to apply to any gender, despite the insistence of some traditionalists. Seers are a wide group of people, and as such they have several suffixes. As such Seer titles appear in the following format: “Seer of the Suffix Serpens name name”. In most settings, many Seers don’t bother to mention their suffix, but that is largely a personal choice, however it is often applied as a sign of formality and respect to state the entirety of one’s title. Suffixes All-seeing Eye This suffix is very rare and is only applied Seers who work in the direct employ of the Emperox. The most common members of this title are the Emperox’s personal advisors. Far-seeing Eye Seers who are under the employ of other Houses. These often work as advisors, precog navigators, fortune tellers, psi-tech engineers, psionic guards or even jobs that are not related to the Serpens House identity, but rather a mundane job or service that the Serpens noble is employed to do under a non-Serpens noble. Inner Eye These are the landed lords of House Serpens. They are Seers who primarily live off of their family’s fortunes. They most often do little more than take care of their own assets and holding, leaving them with a great deal of freedom.They are known to dabble or dedicate themselves to several subjects, but they almost never use these as a source of income, but rather as a hobby. Mind’s Eye Seer of the Mind’s Eye is a title bestowed upon renowned members of House Serpens if they retire from their duties. Due to L.E.T. and a larger than average population of doctors and biopsions, only few Serpens retire because of permanent injury or old age, rather, they are more likely to retire due to sentimental values, stress or simply a wish to do something new. The most common cause for Serpens to retire due to injury, is if they have torched one too many times and their doctor declares them unsuited for work, to prevent them from torching even more and thus turning feral. Third Eye These Seers are Serpens who deal in all kinds of business, whether it is managing a line of brothels around the core or running Psider races. They often have an eye for money and a goal to further their family’s holdings. While they often deal with other Houses, they are only in the employ of themselves. Over the years they have often been know to be in close contact with the corporations, and it is the title in Serpens that is most likely to abandon the House to join one of them, though House loyalty is still running strong through most of them. Unofficial Suffixes Blind Eye A little shit, who thinks they are God’s blessing to mankind, just because of their family’s standing, or someone who is too proud or arrogant for their own good. Shattered Eye Someone who has torched too far and become feral. Sometimes a fancy way to call someone crazy or mad. True-seeing Eye A suffix that denotes membership in the Cult of the Doom Dragon. It is a title given internally in the cult as, if the rest of Serpens knew about them, they would be removed. Auditor History Originally Auditors were organization created in the aftermath of the Scream, as part of the military police force, to help maintain control over the psychic population. After the sector, Acheron Rho, was reunited, in order to deal with wider range and volume of criminal psychic activity throughout the Empire, Auditors were established as a self-governing organization. More recently, during the War Against the Artificials, Auditors were additionally tasked to assist in the capturing and retiring of synthetics by way of detecting them. Auditors rarely work alone and are more often than not, working with House Crux, when dealing with regional space not directly controlled by the House Serpens. And while the Auditors have authority to force regulations and laws in House Serpens controlled regions, they often work in conjunction with the Fang or the Executor branch of the House Serpens. Structure of the Auditors Page: Civilian member of Auditors.Those that failed psionics test, but still want to work in the organization or seek to retake the test later date after honing their skills further. Initiate Those that first join in the ranks of auditors are given the title of Initiate, and they work with one of the Auditors as their mentor. Usually for the first standard year, being mentored by different times whit Lector, Visum and Opticon Divisions Auditors. After which they become able to choose an Division and at the same time become Auditors, if they pass the psionics aptitude test.This test can be requested when first entering the organization to bypass the Initiate phase. Auditor Independently Auditors investigate matters related to the use of psionics and suspected synth activity, assisting authorities by creating threat assessments for use of Fang, Executors or Crux. As part of military or police operations, Auditors, assists in execution of those assessment, or they are brought in to an ongoing investigation, in order to provide aid with their Metapsionic, Telepathic or Precognision. Creating advantages to the operational force or specifically in cases of criminal psionics, protecting their allies from mental effects While not specific for Auditors, as anyone with the metapsionic ability can do this, Auditors are sometimes called to provide protection for notable or important individuals, from psionic intrusions. Additionally auditors use their psionic talents to expand information records gathered and maintained by House Serpens High Auditor Those that are highly advanced in their psionic abilities and have proven their capability are nominated to the position High Auditor. High Auditors, because of their unusually strong finity to psionics, are only called to intervene directly when the target under threat is exceptionally important or valuable. Amongst the ranks of High Auditors board of officials is chosen to organize the co-operational aspect with Crux forces one seat per region of space. (17, or one / hex) Divisions of Auditors Auditor Lector Auditor that focuses in the Telepathic aspect of detection Auditor Visum Auditor that focuses in the Metapsionic aspect of detection Auditor Opticon Auditor that has focused in two out of the next three psionic disciplines: Telepathy, Metapsionic, Precognition State of Organization During the War Against The Artificials, large scale recruitment of Auditors took place, to fill the need of personnel dedicated for the destruction of Synthetics. This resulted in sifting of the focus primarily to synthetics as the immediate threat was deemed more pressing. Subsequently the number of Auditors tasked for controlling psionically dangerous individuals halted and over time started to decline. As the large scale war ended, the demand of Auditors dropped drastically, leaving many of the newly recruited Auditor idle. Resulting in to massive surge of resignations as only small portion of those left without job to do, were skilled enough to be incorporated into other doty's. As of now, Auditors as a organization is spread thin throughout the Empire, and are in process of refilling vacant positions, more geared towards the original purpose of safeguarding citizens of the Empire from criminal psionics. Oracle Above all resides the Oracular Council and its combine of master precognitives; powerful psychics who have been amplified by psychic technology and pumped full of psychoactive drugs in order to divine the future. The futures foretold by the Oracular Council can be fragmented and complex, requiring the use of ‘Compilers,’ highly trained individuals who use mathematics to make sense of these prophecies and create a model of the most likely possible future. Oracular Ascension An Oracle in divination is a frightening sight to behold. They are plugged into Psitech devices. Tubes. Wiring. An amalgamation of human and machine. Weaned from their medication, Oracles ride the razor thin edge of sheer power and careful control of their abilities. 1. Must be Noble - this includes by blood and marriage, including those from "House" Taipan. 2. Preparing: Students are selected for their powers of precognition and then given preparation to take tests. Some take years to even get to take a test. Some do get fast tracked however if they only focus towards Precog (mechanically they max out their abilities before taking any other.) 3. Testing: The members that have prepared are tested on their ability to predict and change future events. 4. Upgrading: Members are upgraded later in life, but sometimes the young are given Cyberware and genetic modifications to increase their abilities. 5. Time on the council: The members are given chemical enhancements through their augments and are connected together to get more accurate visions. (hence the deep blue veins and pale skin) Problems arise from becoming an Oracle. They lose ties to reality. Common side effects are seizure where the chemical they take will even change the color of their blood. In these cases the suffering Oracle will bleed blue from their eyes and mouth. Oracles will also start becoming difficult to interact with. They will start speaking in a monotone voice, start talking about events yet to happen for a year (or more depending on how Adam limits this for Oracles) as if they are mere seconds away, becoming despondent, and repeating events that have yet to take place moments before they happen. 6. The final years of an Oracle can be one of peace but many times they are akin to those psionics that have been torched. Either their bodies fail or their minds will at some point. They usually do not live past the age of 50. However, some have been known to make it to 70 or 80 in extreme cases. (The reasons the ages are relatively high based on our current life spans is because most nobles are expected to live to around 200 years according to Adam) Ministra Ministra at their core are the diplomats and administrators of House Serpens. They are the organisers and delegators, the lifeblood of the Den of Snakes - the core government of Hroa and House Serpens. The Ministras are the public face of the house for foreign nobility and other dignitaries; they are typically seen as the first point of contact, and they link the other facets of the Empire to Serpens through collaborative projects and political deals. The title dates back to prior to the Scream, but the diplomatic aspect came to the forefront during the reunification of the sector, allowing Serpens to reconnect with their fellow noble houses. The Ministra are split into three ranks, as many other titles in Serpens are. The roles within are not necessarily linked to the ranks, but are the most common tasks assigned to the rank described. As with all noble titles within Serpens, ranks are gained through respect and experience, and with these two the Ministra gain access to higher security information. Junior Ministra Junior Ministra are typically understudies to both standard and High Ministra. They work directly under a Ministra until they’re experienced enough to move up in rank, and are the paper pushers for the government, with the majority of the tedious and repetitive work being passed onto them. They aren’t typically privy to the higher security information that passes through the Den, but may be assigned projects to prove their trustworthiness. Ministra Mid rank Ministra are the most common in the Den, and handle a lot of the higher security bureaucracy for which a Junior wouldn’t have clearance . They are also assigned as the governors for the smaller outposts on Hroa, acting as mayors and managers for the general populace of the towns. Ministra are frequently assigned to assist in administration duties for the organisations within the house, with many working alongside Practitioners in Caduceus, Nominators in the Academy, or even Takumi in their laboratories, in part to ease the workload. Many of these specialised administrators moved from being a Practitioner or Sophist, giving them expertise in the field and allowing a more efficient work methodology. Standard Ministra also work in the Vasuki Den managing disputes for lesser nobility within the house, and occasionally those of visiting lesser nobles. Reporting on the ongoings of the planet is a vital skill, and many Ministra are also tasked with handling the reports that come in from all other groups within the house, with the only difference in reports handled by them and the High Ministra being the security clearance required. High Ministra High Ministra are the diplomats, entrusted with the authority to speak for the house’s best interests with those of other houses and important organizations; this is inclusive of House Serpens’ role on the Astral Synedrium, with the main representative frequently being a High Ministra. In addition to diplomacy, High Ministra also assume the role of governor for the larger cities on Hroa, such as Ophai and Lo’raek, working with the Fates stationed at those cities, such as the Fangs and Executors in Aranath. They are also the record keepers for the house, with crucial reports coming through the High Ministra office from each of the other titles to be looked over and processed, although the most important reports would go directly to the Fates. Nominator The Nominators are frequently seen as the face of the Imperial Academy on Hroa. They are the ones who visit the many worlds of Acheron Rho, preaching the virtues of going to the Academy, for psionics to learn how to stabilize and use their powers. And so, nearly all Nominators are metapsions, so when they encounter an unstable psionic, they can nullify the individual’s power(s), and help put in place temporary barriers and rudimentary control lessons that make it safe for travel to the Academy. The title of Nominator was one of the first titles created in House Serpens alongside the title of Practitioner and Sophist. When House Serpens settled on Hroa and was given custodianship of the Imperial Psionic Academy, the first Nominators and Sophists were ordained shortly after, while the Practitioners were a continuation of House Serpens’ tradition as being the providers of medicine and healthcare they were in charge as Constellation Ship Serpens in the Colony fleet. In many ways, a Nominator’s job is easy, as the horrors of what can happen when a psionic goes rogue is a common cautionary tale taught by parents to their young. And so many, especially among the citizenry, see the immediate virtue of sending someone off to the Academy. But in other ways, it is still in difficult On worlds where the nobility do not rule supreme, it is not uncommon for the population to be heavily biased against psionics, and would rather keep the Nominator from entering their society, while also persecuting, and often murdering, the psionics they trap within their social boundaries. Traveling Nominators also have to often contend with noble families who think that if they keep their psionic members home, that it will somehow greatly benefit their House, and gain them prestige. Usually however, the damage is catastrophic as the psionic usually goes crazy when left untreated and untutored, and the family is instead ostracized for damaging the House’s reputation, and it’s possible relations with House Serpens, who are also the largest supplier of medicine across the whole of Acheron Rho. Junior Nominator Many Beginner, or “Junior”, Nominators will often find themselves as an aide to Journeyman Nominators, helping with supplies, and the like. Very occasionally, they might even be allowed to help in the calming of an untutored psionic, so as to give them experience for when they have to do the job themselves. Nominator “Regular”, or Journeymen as they are sometimes known, Nominators are instead travelers. They are often sent to Noble families who are off-world and have the resources to request an individual testing of psionic capabilities. They also travel from world to world, station to station, and ship to ship, holding seminars that are an attempt to encourage untaught psionics to please attend the Academy. All Nominators also have the responsibility that if they find a rogue psionic, to disable or temper their abilities, and either attempt to recruit them as a student, or to report them to either the closest House Crux JES, or House Serpens Auditor, so that the individual(s) might be detained and removed, for the public’s safety. High Nominator High Nominators live in both an enviable, and unwanted position. Enviable because the High Nominators have a chance to be stationed on the homeworld of Hroa, at the Academy itself. Unwanted, for much of the same reason. However, many manage to “dodge the bullet”, and still have the chance to travel, performing the duties they once did as Journeymen, alongside their new responsibilities as High Nominators. As many Nominators have a philosophy that you cannot help those in need, unless you find those in need. The purpose of the High Nominator title is to act as a public face of the Academy. They are often filmed in commercials for broadcasts, explaining what exactly it is the Academy does for psionics, and why psionics should come. “A better mind, leads to a better life” is a common phrase. A select few, will also be selected to make audio-recorded lectures, that will then be broadcast far and wide as a listening program on the basic rudimentaries of psionic learning. These are of course accompanied by the disclaimer that these lessons will not teach you how to control your powers, and instead are accompanied by an advisement that if you are, or think you are, a psionic, please visit your closest Serpens Medical Center for testing. Sophist The Sophists are the administrators, researchers, and teachers of the Imperial Psionic Academy on Hroa. It is their duty to make sure the curriculum is accurate and up to date, that the students are taught the curriculum, and that the Academy is run as smoothly as possible while also having any resources that it may require. Many Sophists tend to live on campus itself, or in the nearby districts of the capital city, Sero’ak. This is repeated in other schools across Hroa. The title of “Sophist” stretches back to when House Serpens first settled on Hroa, and was given oversight of the Imperial Psionic Academy. The creation of this title coincides with the creation of the Nominator title, and is one of the three oldest titles in House Serpens, alongside the Practitioner title. Junior Sophist Junior Sophists are typically Serpens Nobles who have decided to pursue the important art of teaching. They often spend three years gaining a more advanced education that they might serve as a general instructor in any class that might require them, and then two more years pursuing a specialized field that will be their primary field of teaching once they become a full Sophist. As such, an average Junior Sophist will range anywhere from 15 to 20 Imperial Standard Years old, but can also be older than this window, depending on when the Serpens Noble agrees to pursue a career in teaching. During their final year, a Junior Sophist will also serve as a research assistant, or student aid. A Sophist will present them with a concept for a teaching lesson, and it will be their job to construct the lesson for the Sophist. They are graded on not only how well the lesson is constructed, but also on the difficulty of another Sophist had in teaching it, as well as a general rating of the students’ grades, as a way of seeing if the lesson was easily learned by the students. The High Sophists have not enforced this last requirement, as it is seen as coddling the students. Sophist Those known “simply” as Sophists, are the teachers to the students on a variety of topics, from Math, to the Sciences, to History, and even the Arts. And of course, mastery of the Psionic Powers. This last is a vital measure, for not only will teach budding psionics the abilities necessary to live with their powers, but also how they might use them to become productive members of Imperial society. The Sophists also serve as researchers in several fields in the Psionics Academy, often working alongside Takumis, as a theoretical advisor to the practical engineer. The third role for “Middle” Sophists is that they serve as administrators for the Academy, and other academic institutions. Thus, the Sophists make the backbone of the Academy, and even the whole of Serpens’ educational system. High Sophist High Sophists, will have served for many years as Sophists before they achieve this title, as it is experience-based, not role-based. As such, the difference between a High Sophist and a Sophist is not a change or addition in responsibilities, but rather simply, age. Or at least years spent as a Sophist. The only addition of responsibility is that High Sophists are in charge of screening the student body for long lost cousins of House Taipan, which they do in conjunction with the Nominators stationed on Hroa. Takumi One of the most eclectic aspects of House Serpens is the title of Takumi. Takumi are the chief researchers of Serpens, charged with pushing the boundaries of human knowledge in everything from psitech to psionic theory to medicine. They are one of the most widespread groups in Serpens, going wherever their curiosity takes them but always bringing their findings home to Hroa and the Den of Snakes. Takumi frequently work hand in hand with other members of the house. Alongside the Practitioners of Caduceus they develop medical technology and work to improve pharmaceuticals used in treatment, especially those dealing with MES. In tandem with the Sophists of the Academy, they seek to deepen Serpens’ understanding of psionics and psitech. Takumi also cooperate with their counterparts in other House in areas where their expertise overlaps, especially members of House Triangulum. All this, however, does not represent the full spectrum of what a Takumi is or does, as the title is also borne by many of the artists of Serpens. While individual Takumi tend to focus on one aspect - artistry or science - the two influence each other. Machines and facilities designed by Takumi are far from the utilitarian labors one would expect from researchers but rather are marvels of engineering and architecture, seamlessly blending form and function. By the same token, art made by Takumi frequently utilizes technology to push the boundaries of whatever medium they are working in. Takumi ranks largely follow the Serpens convention of Junior to High, but with High replaced by Chief. Junior Takumi Junior Takumi are freshly initiated with the least experience. They usually assist their seniors while working on their own projects in their free time. Takumi Takumi are those that have proven themselves and are now trusted to act on their own and pursue whatever projects pique their interest. Chief Takumi Chief Takumi are those with the most seniority. Typically they have entire labs or studios at their command and can call on funding directly from the Den of Snakes if their project seems sound. Only Chief Takumi are allowed to make any changes to the medicines used in the treatment of MES. Compiler Compilers are the interpreters of the Oracular Council and its combine of master precognitives. Those powerful psychics who let themselves be amplified by psychic technology and imbibe psychoactive concoctions in order to divine our ever shifting future. These futures foretold by the Oracular Council are fragmented and complex, requiring the use of ‘Compilers’. These highly trained individuals use mathematics to make sense of the Ocular Council prophecies and create models of the most likely possible future. There are three levels of compilers, each ranked by how close they are in contact with the Oracular Council itself. 1st Compiler- Sit and listen to the meandering mutterings of the Oracles. Since these futures can be small things as microeconomics and middle management concerns to macroeconomic and military concerns, they must learn to parse this stream of consciousness into coherent thoughts.They must do this round the clock, in three shifts of 8 hours each. 2nd Compiler - They use telepathy to pick up these thoughts, combine them with data from other House Precogs like Scryers and certain select Seers. The 2nd Compilers then get to the real work and express this data into the 5 Forms. Haiku, Tanka, Renku and two mathematical forms that are described as ‘alliterative algorithms’’ and ‘mythopoetic meta-math’. 3rd Compiler- They take these different expressed precognitive expressions and send them to the sections of House Serpens they pertain to: governmental issues would go to the Fates, military concerns would go to the Fangs, issues with synthetics would go to the Auditors, etc. Below is a letter from a newly inducted 3rd Level Compiler to his sister. In it he relates his view of this little known and little understood segment of Serpens society. Letter to High Sophist Serpens Dee Anne by 3rd Compiler Serpens Dee Colin Dear Elder Sister Enna, You ask me to try and describe my new work to you, since I am so busy lately and cannot visit. Alas, it would be like the a piece of sea-glass trying to describe the tide to the shore. The Mysteries of how the Ocular Council pools its psychic talents into a group mind and explores multiple future timelines and stochastic probabilities is outside both my power and intellect. I am merely a 3rd Compiler. Only one who has passed my rank to the poetry of a 2nd Compiler and then ascended to the mystic insight of a 1st Compiler could begin to articulate the Precognition Paradox. As a small scrivener of those 2nd Compilers I take their beautiful writing, compare it to past pronouncements and send the message to whichever Serpens should have it. Most mainly goes to the Ministra but some are destined for the dangerous Fang or the Technical Takumi. We 3rd Compilers are the ones who interact with the outside world, leaving the 2nd Compiler’s to their art and the 1st to their intense meditations. This is how it has been for hundreds of years. How the first High Oracles originally got together and found a way to pool their precognition is unknown. They themselves cannot say, because the moment they become a group mind they lose all self awareness and have no memories of their discoveries. Only the 1st Compilers, who monklike meditate on the discordant deliberations of the Ocular Council, can catch these complex extra-dimensional insights and bring them into coherent human thought. They then transmit them in a logical stream to the 2nd Compilers. Ahh, the 2nd Compilers, that is my current ambition. I long to be in communion with the monks and their metaphysical ruminations and translate their gorgeous thoughts into the five different forms. I secretly practice the short Haiku, the longer Tanka, the collaborative Renku with my fellow 3rds and wish someday to be taught the mysterious fourth and fifth forms. These are respectively described as ‘alliterative algorithms’’ amd ‘mythopoetic meta-math’. Sadly, as I am only a 3rd Compiler I spend my days looking over their work and determine which room in House Serpens needs the latest Council’s pronouncement. I also research to see if they resemble any past Ocular proclamations so as to discern historical patterns. I can see you now sister, smiling down at me on my research screen, admonishing me to be less the pedantic scholar and find something fun to do. Well, I’ve recently been asked to join a small society which studies pre-Scream Oracles like Huyn the Mad. She believed the Future was fixed and the Past always changed with our interpretation of it. Her Time Tankas mean so much, here is just one... The Red Sun sets slow The Future Stands walking Past Steel Grey Moon Rises What Was changes us What Will never does Seems silly and trite until I started working here. Now I find a strange solace in her works. If you can find anything more about her at the University please forward it to me. My new companions say much of her work was destroyed. A few loyal Sophists scattered her works into archival collections and private libraries. Please come and visit when you can. While you are not allowed to enter the Compiler’s Courtyard I can get a day-pass to meet you outside. We will go to that restaurant you like, the one with the view of the Red Gardens and the cinnamon tea. Your loving brother, 3rd Compiler Serpens Dee Colin Practitioner Psionic Anesthesia Although biopsions make up a significant portion of psychic Practitioners in House Serpens, they are far outnumbered by mundane doctors performing via traditional techniques. This is a dichotomy further exacerbated by the fact that many biopsions aren’t powerful enough to keep up with the strain of a full day of surgery. As a consequence, the majority of biopsions working as Practitioners practice as anesthesiologists. A fixture in almost every operating theater in the Empire, psionic anesthesiologists perform key roles in maintaining patient stability and pain tolerance during multiple forms of surgery. With more skilled biopsions kept in reserve for more critical emergencies (such as limb regrowth), these anesthesiologists play a key role in maintaining patient outcomes. Metapsychiatry A practical requirement of serving the psychiatric needs of psychics, metapsychiatrists can suppress their patient’s abilities as they’re navigating them through moments of extreme emotional vulnerability. Although use of their abilities isn’t required for most of their cases, they are essential for meeting with less disciplined psychics. Further, they have proved uniquely equipped with dealing with the psychiatric disorders that seem inherent with the development of psychic abilities, such as power and god complexes, the long term suppression of their patient’s powers critical to the proper treatment of these conditions. These Practitioners are also assigned to aid in dealing with the mental fallout of psychics who have torched through overuse of their abilities, their gifts enabling them to construct safe environments for their patients to rebuild their confidence in using their powers again. Zero Response / Pre-Responders Precious few precognitives work in the medical field, often instead directed to other faculties of House Serpens. Those that do work as dispatchers, directing emergency responders to arrive on scene shortly after or even before the patient falls ill, is maimed, or is otherwise injured. Due to the limited scope of this niche in the medical apparatus, this is a service reserved only for the upper echelons of Imperial society. Kinetic Therapy Although telekinetics make for one of the best overt showcases of psionic prowess, many lack the spectrum of power required for more traditional uses of this discipline, limited to levitating small stones and clumps of paper. However, these psychics can master control over their limited projections of force, rendering them capable of very fine manipulation. Kinetic therapists use their fine control of telekinetics to superheat and cut at tumors and other abnormalities in their patients bodies, noninvasively providing treatment for a countless set of ailments. With their skills under high demand, kinetic therapy is becoming an increasingly popular speciality for weaker telekinetics, despite the immense discipline required. Neuralego Surgeons Although seeming to be a relatively innocuous innovation in the field of neurosurgery, these psionic Practitioners have nigh completely driven out their mundane competition. Colloquially known as neuralego surgery, these Practitioners maintain telepathic contact with their patient’s ego, and as such gain the ability to precisely operate on the brain. The immediate feedback they receive of any missteps allows for quick correction, significantly mitigating the risk of the procedure. Emergency Teleportation Every day there is a case where the time it would take to move to the operating theatre at a Caduceus facility would waste precious minutes critical to the survival of the patient. As a consequence, these facilities always maintain a teleporter on duty capable of quickly rearranging both staff and patients in the case of emergency, buying vital seconds for other Practitioners to operate. It is said that in the Golden Age before the Scream, every House Serpens medical ship carried a teleporter powerful enough to bring every patient onboard planetside in an instant. Category:House Serpens